Liverpool are set to enter the market in need of fresh options, with Caught Offside reporting that centre-back will be a priority position for the club this summer.
It comes as the Reds are looking to rebuild the defensive ranks, after the exits of Andy Robertson and Ibrahima Konate were confirmed at the end of their current contracts.
While the left-back role looks relatively secure, with Milos Kerkez and Kostas Tsimikas featuring there, the centre-back options are looking slightly more thin.
Konate's exit means Virgil van Dijk and Joe Gomez, who are both into the final year of their deals, are the only experienced options available for Liverpool.
That is then backed up by the arrival of youngster Jeremy Jacquet from Rennes this summer, and the return of Giovanni Leoni from a serious knee injury.
With that in mind, it appears as though other options could be on the cards at Liverpool to help bolster the position for the short-term and the long-term.
Liverpool Shortlist Goncalo Inacio
Goncalo Inacio
While Liverpool look into the market for possible options to bolster the backline, the report from Caught Offside claims that Sporting CP defender Goncalo Inacio is among those on the club's shortlist.
It's claimed that the Reds want someone who is comfortable progressing the ball from the back, while the fact he is left-footed would help complement the ability of Van Dijk on the right.
Inacio is a six-foot-one-inch-tall centre-back who, at just 24 years old, already has plenty of experience under his belt after working his way through the Sporting CP ranks.
The defender has played over 250 games for the Portuguese side, while he has also become a regular for the Portugal national team in recent years.
It's claimed that Inacio has a £52 million release clause, which could make him an affordable option for Liverpool, while his profile has been described as "rare" in recent times.
It's no surprise that Premier League rivals have also taken notice, as Manchester United and Chelsea have previously been linked, but the Reds could have an edge.
The fact they need a replacement for Konate opens up that door, while their rivals could be focusing on other areas within their squads this summer.
Inacio isn't the only centre-back on Liverpool's radar, however.
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Other Liverpool Centre-Back Targets
Andoni Iraola applauds Bournemouth supporters
While Inacio has been shortlisted as a centre-back target for Liverpool this summer, he isn't the only star defender that the club are looking at.
The report claims that Napoli defender Sam Beukema is an option as part of a wider shortlist, having been linked with a move under previous manager Arne Slot.
There are also previous links to youngster Luka Vuskovic, who could leave Tottenham this summer, as well as Nottingham Forest defender Murillo.
It's unclear whether any of those options will be intensified over the coming weeks, and none may be as easy as triggering the release clause for Inacio.
However, Liverpool are looking to future-proof their backline, and the links with players are unlikely to end any time soon.